There Goes the Festival

As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end, and so the 2012 Cannes Film Festival ends today. The weather is matching my mood as it rains outside my apartment in Juan les Pins. I didn’t stay in Cannes for the night partly due to the weather and partly because going to see the closing ceremonies would force me to realize that the festival is coming to an end. 

The past three days have probably been my favorite during the trip. I think it’s because I finally got a hold on the festival. I know what movies have the highest likelihood of being good (ones not in the market), where to see celebrities (press conferences), and how to get into premieres (smile and use The Secret). 

Jeff Nichols at AmPav

Last night’s premiere was my favorite of the festival. It was Mud directed by Jeff Nichols, who we actually got to meet the day before at the American Pavilion. It was a private meeting so it was just the students from my program and a handful of random pavilion goers. He talked about his career, Mud and his past films, and let us ask questions. 

Being the super cool kid that I am, I sat in the front row, and I am so glad that I did. Jeff Nichols was so wonderful to listen to. (I'm gong to use his full name, because I have too much respect for him to call him Jeff, but he seems too laid back to be called Mr. Nichols. So Jeff Nichols it is.)  He managed to come off incredibly humble in his achievements (Mud is only his third film, and it is in competition. Last year, his film Take Shelter won the Critics’ Week Grand Prix at Cannes. Oh yeah, and he’s only 33.) but incredibly confident in his abilities, and after seeing Mud, he has every right to be. 

Twelve years ago he actually worked as an intern in the American Pavilion, and last night, he premiered his film in the Lumiere. Earlier during the festival I made a goal to comeback to Cannes and stay at the Majestic. Not necessarily during the festival, I just want to be able to sit in the lobby whenever and wherever I want (the possibility of sleeping on the same mattress that Brad Pitt doesn’t hurt either). After hearing Jeff Nichols’ story, I feel like my “Return to Cannes” goal sounds pretty lame. 

I hope Mud gets picked up and does really well in the states, because I loved it, and it got an incredible response at the premiere. To be honest, every film that premieres at the Lumiere gets a ridiculously long standing ovation no matter how spectacular or god-awful it is. However it wasn’t just the standing ovation at the end (which was crazy long), but you could tell people loved it before the credits rolled. During the film, I heard people laugh, cry, gasp, and cheer at different points during the film. At one point, someone tried to start a slow clap, but was quite unsuccessful. It turned into one guy clapping alone for far too long at the top of the balcony.

The best part of last night’s premiere was my seat. No, I never made it down to the orchestra, but I’m not complaining. Instead, I got a Corbeille ticket. I had it one time before but it was a row or two below the balcony. It was more like balcony plus. Last night was different. Way different. 

Jeff Nichols at the Mud premiere. *Note the famous people. 

I knew something was up after I saw I had a seat number on my ticket. For balcony or “balcony plus,” you don’t get a seat number. It’s just an area they point to, and you can sit wherever. My seat ended up being in the lower rows of the Corbeille where you could peer over the edge and see where the celebrities sat. 

It was especially cool because we had just met Jeff Nichols  the day before, and he seemed so down to earth. Seeing him stand next to Reese Witherspoon and Matthew McConaughey only twenty four hours later was surreal. I know I have used that word too many times in this blog and on this trip. It’s starting to bother me, but I can’t find another word that so perfectly describes what this festival has felt like. If you have any alternatives to suggest, please let me know.

Yet another plus from last night, I can add Reese Witherspoon and Alec Baldwin to my celebrity sightings list. I had seen Alec Baldwin on the screen at the Lumiere a few times during the festival, but never with my own eyeballs. Unfortunately he was so far away I couldn’t ask him to sign an autograph or call me “Lemon.” In hindsight, the distance might have been a good thing.  

Since it was my favorite premiere, it made the fact that it would be my last premiere in the Lumiere a little easier to bear.